Blinker signaling device



June 5, 1945. V, HORR 2,377,346

BLINKER SIGNALING DVICE Filed Sept. 16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l I In Il" El 20\ fm1. Q5 ls INVENTOR fo/11, /Horf f ATTORNEY Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT; oFFlVCE BLINKER SIGNALING DEVICE v John V. Horr, North Tarrytown, N. Y., assignor to Einson-Freeman Co., Inc., Long Island City,

N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 16, 1943, Serial No. 502,618V

. 7 Claims. .(vCl. 35-14) My present invention relates generally to signaling devices, and has particular reference to a device of the blinker type.

A general object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in a signaling device of the -f character set forth in my ca -pending patent application, Serial No. 500,155.

The device in question is of simplified structure intended to be manufactured almost entirely of simple inexpensive sheet material such as cardboard or the like. The device is of such a character that it may vassume an unusually small and compact form adapted to be held in and operated by one hand of a user.

The type of device to which my invention relates has been designed primarily for instructional purposes, it being intended that large quantities of the device may be manufactured speedily and at low cost, for distribution to trainees in the armed forces, and others, to enhance the teaching of signaling generally and the art of blinker signaling in particular. Because of its small and inexpensive nature, the device may also find utility as an educational toy. Nevertheless, since it is a complete signaling device by means of which messages and signals may be transmitted from one person to another, and since certain features of the invention are not necessarily restricted to a device of reduced size, it will be understood that certain phases of the invention may be considered to relate to signaling devices generally. The structure consists essentially of a pair of superposed front and rear signaling members, the front member having a series of adjacent spaced apertures therein and the rear member presenting light and dark areas for alternate registry with said apertures during relative sliding movements of said members. The apertures preferably assume the form of parallel slits arranged in a group which denes a sort of circular spot, and the markings onv the rear member are correspondingly shaped and arranged. Thus, if the outer surface of the front member is of dark character, the contemplated relative movements of the members will result in making this spot alternately dark and light, whereby code messages may be transmitted to an observer at a distance in much the same manner as such messages are transmitted -by large-size blinker signaling devices. However, where as the conventional large-size blinker devices usually employ a light from an artificial source, the require. pivoted movements of louvres or `the like and all the mechanisms and accessories which such an action calls for, the present device is essentially composed of only the two front and back members referred to.v

The relatively slidable front andl back members of the present deviceare associated with a means of resilient yieldable character for urging the members into one condition of registry, whereby signaling may be effected by intermittently forcing or pressing the members into the other condition of registry against the action of the resilient means.

A more particular object of the present improvement lies in the provision of a device in which all of the parts maybe formed of integral portions of a single blank of sheet material such as cardboard or the like, in which the contemplated resilient effect may be achieved either without the employment of any extraneous elements or material whatsoever, or merely by means of a simple spring reinforcement of unusually simple and non-critical material, and in which the basic blank material is so formed-'that a printing operation on'only one surface thereof will be sufcient to provide all the markings and colorations which the resultant structure requires. A further object of the present'improvement is to provide a design which requires only a single glueing operation to transform the original blank into the finished product.

I achieve the foregoing objects and advantages, l

and such other objects andadvantages as'may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplied in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a. perspective -view of ka signal device constructed in accordancewith 'the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along theline 2--2 of Figure 1; 1 4

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view simlar to Figure` 3 showing 40 the relationship ,of the parts when pressure' is exerted upon the device during the signaling operation; y i

Figure 5 is a plan view of the single blank of which the present device maybe composed;

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview of the lrst step in assembling the device;

Figure 7 is a perspective rear view of the parts .in the relationship shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 6 showing a subsequent step of theprocess of manufacture. Referring rst to Figure 5, it will be observed that the device may be composed in its entirety of a single blank of sheet materialwhich is of elongated substantially rectangular conguration.

This blankis divided by the transverse parallel elements which cooperatively denne the blinker device shown in Figure 1;

The section I3'u1timately denes the inner or nether one at two'. bracing panels; while thezsec.- tion I4 definesv the outer or upper bracing panel.

The section I5 denes a springy panel which..

ultimately aiords the requisite resilient means for' permitting the device to operate int theicont'eme plated manner. The section I6 denes the rear one of two signaling members; andA is'proyided.

on its front surface with spacedlight and dark.

areas I1.

Hinged to the section I 8T along. aniedgefwadjacent to the hinge line I0 is a lateral section I9. which ultimately denes the front signaling member. This4 member..'is-V provided i withaV `seriesl` of spaced. adjacent?. apertureszl which Il haveillustratively'y shown. inthefornrof@ paralleleslitscon,- joininggdening.: a. sort. or. circulan spot'1 'Ilhe member I 9 is preferably1 substantially; squaregand in order that the general nature-:andcapabilities of my invention may be.-,n1ore fully'y appreciated, it may:v be mentioned: that'` a: satisfa'ctoryand highly eilicient d'evicewmay'; be-v constructed I with this square; no vmore thanabout two inches long.

Where the.l apertures.-4 "i assume the;l form of slits; as showmthe markingsEI-I ongtherea-n signalingf member Iii-are oiL corresponding: striped conguration,. and. they; are: so, arrangedthat reciprocating endwise:r movements of;v one?.` of: the signaling members relative to. -the other will alternately bringeither' the.: light' areas or the dark, areasy I-'Ir into. matching; registry with.- the apertures or slits: II;

Before-y describing@ thev manner.v of assembling thedevi'ce, it should be'pointed outthat aniattaehment yflap;v ZI! of: relatively narrow" widtht is hinged to, the; section.. I a zatlongethe.A edge 22 opposite the edge I8: d.recess-2ainitlally,` cutiintoithe blankacross theihinge. line; IU. provides theultimater two-ply .-bracingx panel lWitha cut-out alone oneI edge fora purpose' presently:Y toV bei-described'. Adjacentito. the; freefedge 2A'fofxtheend section f I 3 I provide a slit 25 whichzis: slightly; wider'than the recess 23.- but substantially aligned:r therewith. Att itsV ends,l .thisisl-it preferably:1 joins with two small longitudinally arranged slitsf25. the resultant.l U-shaped cutserving to providenan aperture. into which. atleai:springA may bein:-

In. the preferredconstmction, the. outer. face f oiY thev front signaling-member I9Y is printed or marked so as to be of relatively dark character, and the markings I1 on the rear signaling mem-A ber are so arranged` that under normalcircurnstances the. dark regions will register with and show throughthe apertures or slits 2b.'. It isalso desirable that each of these'ctions I3 I4', I5'and 2I be of: dark coloration; andthe present'structure is so designed that th'e'printingA or marking which produces this'L result may all be' accomplished onr a, singl'e's'urf'ace4 of the blank. The printedor marked surface ofthe blank is shown uppermostin'Figure-. TheV under surface may be leftcompletely` unmarked.

Assuming that aleaf spring is to be employed to eninmcevthet resilience' of the device, I'prefer to use' a dat' rectangular strip 28 (see Figures 6-8) which may be composedl of any' suitable material such asfresilientplastic'orthe like, This striphas-a'-width'substantially equal tothevlength of the Vslit 25 so that one end of the strip 28 may be inserted into this slit, as indicated most clearly in Figure 7. The strip 28 has a length slightly greater: than" the length of thefsection I3, and substantially equal to the length ofthe panel I5, this latter panel being slightly longer than each of the other sections of the blank.

In assembling the device, the spring 28 (if used at all) is rst inserted into the slit 25 as indicated inv Figures Gand 7'. The section I4 is then folded down along the line IIJ so as to lie over the section I3', andthe section I5 is then folded down inthe same'fdirection' along the hinge line I I and broughte around so as to lie behind the section I3, as indicated in Figure 8. The section I8 is thenifoldedi downdnv the samedirectionfalongthe hingeifline'l I2 andrbroughtaround sonasto overlie the section I4. Finally, thel attaclnnentA I lap 2| is folded.` inwardlyv over: the" section I6f, and the section I9 is similarly folded-and laid across-.the section IGI. The free'edge portion of. thesection I9 is then glued down: or'otherxavise:` secured. to the attachment nap-2J; andthisfresultsin assembling they parts; intoV thei relationship shown -most clearly in Figures' 1, 2and 3.

The.4 twoy sections I3V and. I4 conjointly definea bracingp'anel. It'will'be observed that the 'front signal member I9r-is hinged'to the netherbracing panel While the springy.- panel `"I5 ishinged to the upper bracingpanel I4. Thus, the main sections I3; I4, I5and|6.may"be folded=around the nether bracing panel I3; asldescribed; so as. to bring. the rear'signaling member? Iinto apositionoverlying both bracing panels, andithenal foldingfoverfoi the lateral section I9 bringsv thet signaling members'- I 6. and.' I Sintol a directly superposed.- relation.:- ship in which :relative endwise movements thereof may bev effected for` signaling purposes;

Whenl the parts.-` are:V assembled; the' recess or cut-out 23" serves to' accommodate the end.' portion: of the: reinforcement element 28;. thereby avoidingl the"` possibility` of l'any binding'oi'. imperle ing action which. might otherwise: take' place. However, it is contemplated that theipanel I Bmay embodyv sufficient inherent resilienceto permit the reinforcement 28 to: be entirely dispensed with. and if the element 28 is not used,,thesrecess'23'and the slitsl 2 5f, 2 6i andi 21 i may bef omitted.

It will bey observed; that: inJ the-:finishedstructure; the springy panelV I5flies'flatibehindzthe d'- vice. Byvirtueof its hinged connectiontc the panel I4 along thehinge liney II;.and` itsi hinged connection. along. the opposite' edge portion I2 to the rear 'signaling'membery I 6', it affords aA4 simple and convenient meansr for. controlling. the movements' of 'the Arnemberfl 8'. More particularly, it constantly urges the'member I6 endwiseintoa normal v'relationship' to the= front' signaling` member.' It is contemplated th'atinithis' normalrelationship of"parts', the dark areas I-'Ii willlshow throughv the slits 2li;y

When the device is -to be'used', itis grasped'between thef'il'ngersof the usershand so that he is enabled tov press the edgejportions I I and |201 the springy panel I5 towardeach other. When this is accomplished, the rear signaling member I6 is shifted'so as to bring. thelighter areas'v Il into a position in.which they show through the slits. 20. This. makes.. a sortof'circular "spot visible, .andthe alternate. appearance and disappearance of. this spot-mayv b'e employedto .transmit the desired signals. The adjustmentrof the parts in .the :ma-nner. described. isaccompanied by a resilient outwardibuckling of4 the-springy panel l5, as shown most clearly in Figure 4, and when the pressure is released, this panel straightens out again into the position of Figure 3, and thus restores the parts into the normal condition.

t will be observed that the signaling device is thus of unusually simple structural nature. There are no moving parts and no mechanism that might get out-of order. The desired springy eiect is achieved without the use of any metal or rubber springs, and even where the reinforcement 28 is deemed desirable, it is of such a character that it may be and preferably is composed of a simple material other than metal. Furthermore, the resilient action of the springy panel is simple, eflicient, and reliable, and serves also as a guide for the reciprocative movements of the rear signal member I6, effectively maintaining this member in proper alignment at all times. Of primary advantage is the fact that the entire device may be composed of a single piece of flat sheet material, which need be marked or printed on only one surface thereof, and that the entire structure may be held together by a single glueing operation.

While in the preferred construction, the light and dark areas Il on the front surface of the member IE are provided by merely printing or otherwise applying suitable `pigment to this surface (e. g., by printing with black ink upon a white 'background or with white ink upon a darker background), it will be understood that the desired effect could be achieved in various other ways, if desired. For example, the member i6 might have a mirrored surface upon which the suitable areas are provided by blackening or darkening certain predetermined regions, but in such a case it has been found that the desired signaling effect is not of uniform character since the mirrored surface would appear light only in certain angular positions with respect to an eX- terior source of light to be reflected by it. In any case, the term light and dark areas as used herein and in the appended claims is intended to include within its scope any means equivalent to that shown whereby the desired variations in the appearance of the spo may be effected by simple reciprocating movements of the character described.

In general, it will be'understood that the details herein described and illustrated to explain the general nature of the invention may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A blinker signaling device composed of superposed at substantially rectangular elements comprising upper and nether bracing panels, a front signaling member overlying said panels and hinged to the nether one, a springy panel lying behind said panels and hinged to the upper one, and a rear signaling member hinged to the springy panel and lying directly behind said front signaling member, said front member having adjacent spaced apertures therein and said rear member presenting spaced light and dark areas for alternate registry with said apertures during relative sliding movements of said members.

2. A blinker signaling device as set forth in claim 1, said upper bracing panel being hinged along one of its edges to said nether bracing panel and being hinged along its opposite edge to said springy panel, whereby said bracing panels and said springy panel may form integral parts of a single blank of sheet material.

3. A blinker signaling device as set forth in claim 1, said upper bracing panel being hinged along one of its edges to said nether bracing panel and being hinged along its opposite edge to said springy panel, said springy panel being hinged along its opposite edge to said rear signaling member, whereby said bracing panels, said springy panel, and said rear signaling member may form integral parts of a single blank of sheet material.

4. A blinker signaling device as set forth in claim 1, said nether bracing panel being hinged along one of its edges to said front signaling member and along an adjacent edge to said upper bracing panel, and said upper bracing panel being hinged along its opposite edge to said springy panel, whereby said front signaling member, said bracing panels, and said springy panel may forni integral parts of a single blank of sheet material.

5. A blinker signaling device as set forth in claim 1, said nether bracing panel being hinged along one of its edges to said front signaling member and along an adjacent edge to said upper bracing panel, said upper bracing panel being hinged along its opposite edge to said springy i panel, and said springy panel being hinged along its opposite edge to said rear signaling member, whereby said front signaling member, said bracing panels, said springy panel, and said rear signaling member may form integral parts of a single blank of sheet material.

6. A blinker signaling device as set forth in claim 1, said springy panel being hinged along one of its edges to said upper bracing panel and along its opposite edge to said rear signaling member, said springy panel being of such a length that pressure on said hinges will cause outward resilient buckling of said springy panel as the rear signaling member is moved endwise in one direction relative to said front signaling member, the nether bracing panel being provided with means for supporting a relatively narrow leaf spring extending lengthwise of the springy panel on its Aunder side for enhancing the resilience of said springy panel.

7. A blinker signaling device comprising a single blank of sheet material of. elongated substantially rectangular configuration, said blank being divided by parallel transverse hinge lines into adjacent main sections defining, in order, a nether bracing panel, an upper bracing panel, a springy panel, and a rear signaling member, said blank being also provided with a lateral section hinged to a side edge of said nether bracing panel and defining a front signaling member, whereby said main sections may be folded around said nether bracing panel to bring the rear signaling member into a` position overlying both bracing panels, and whereby said lateral section may then be folded over the rear signaling member to bring said signaling members into directly superposed relationship in which relative endwise movements thereof may be eiected for signaling purposes, said springy panel lying behind said bracing panels and yieldably urging said rear signaling memberl endwise into a normal relationship to the front signaling member.

JOHN V. HORR. 

